New Drawing Board is up, covering the Conduit F3 Fusion Rifle.

A few thoughts:

• Where the wallpapers normally say "Exotic Something-or-Other", this one says "Future War Cult".
  
• Is this the first official confirmation of the FWC faction? Also, the word "faction" was used. They tease us!
  
• Curious symbols in the square plate on the "barrel" housing.
  
• That grayscale model is a slick looking piece of hardware! Makes me wonder how we'll be able to upgrade the F3.

YEA!. . . WHOO!

I've always thought this one was an interesting design, and I always assumed it was going to be a SMG not a rifle.

I love the idea a futuristic weapon like this and the design itself is just wicked. Love the glowy circuit board window thingy. :)

Long time lurker, first time replier. Perhaps this means that some guns will be exclusive to certain factions, or perhaps linked to them in some way. In either case that first line of the article is definitely a tease for more faction information.

Our understanding of Fusion Rifles is still limited, though. Sure they just told us that you charge it up and it lets off a burst that can penetrate through enemies, which is truly awesome. But what else is there to these Fusion Rifles? Are they like weird Battle Rifles? Or are they more like the Fusion weapons of the Marathon series, in that they work best against machinery? Or maybe they're like Halo's Plasma weapons, in that they work best against shields? Any other ideas, people?

Vale,
Perseus

...that pay off in my fiction.

From Bungie:

"Advancements in directed energy disbursement[...]"

From "Chance Encounter":

He hands it to her, and Traxis takes it, tentatively, examining it. "It’s not your standard ballistic weapon."

She looks up at this. "Then…" Dumais nods in acknowledgement.

"Directed energy."

From Bungie:

"One of the first working prototypes was deemed too unstable for mass production," recalls Goff. "Despite the concerns over faulty radiation shielding, the weapon's incredible power has made it a favorite of daring weapons collectors."

From "Chance Encounter":

"[...]but it also makes life rather uncomfortable for anyone else inside the blast radius — and for the shooter." She sees him flex his fingers and wonders how much it costs him each time he fires it.

From Bungie:

Charge it up, and let it off the chain.

From "Chance Encounter":

"It stores up a charge over time, which you can then release for an instant kill — or nearly so."

I think I'm going to like writing in this universe. :)

Those are some great foresights. I think the Fusion Rifles are going to be your go-to weapon class.

Oh, were you thinking about writing anything about how who the most awesome Warlock is? Is it me?!

I think the Fusion Rifles are going to be your go-to weapon class.

Well, maybe. They're going to have to be deadly and hellaciously fun to shoot. Having electrostatic plasma charges dancing up and down the barrel is a good start. :)

Oh, were you thinking about writing anything about how who the most awesome Warlock is? Is it me?!

I do have a Warlock that will be appearing in a future story, but he does not resemble any known persons living or dead.

I do have a Warlock that will be appearing in a future story, but he does not resemble any known persons living or dead.

Gotcha. *wink*

They forget the fusion gun's main advantage, the ability to change TV stations from across the room.

Our understanding of Fusion Rifles is still limited, though. Sure they just told us that you charge it up and it lets off a burst that can penetrate through enemies, which is truly awesome. But what else is there to these Fusion Rifles? Are they like weird Battle Rifles? Or are they more like the Fusion weapons of the Marathon series, in that they work best against machinery? Or maybe they're like Halo's Plasma weapons, in that they work best against shields? Any other ideas, people?

Vale,
Perseus

I take it they're reviving the term "fusion" to denote charge-and-release energy weapons a la Marathon. I dig.

~m

I do have a Warlock that will be appearing in a future story, but he does not resemble any known persons living or dead.

Definitely looking forward to it!